Cardiff Blues star Dan Baugh banned for eight weeks after being found guilty of stamping on the face of Keith Gleeson.

CARDIFF BLUES star Dan Baugh was last night banned for eight weeks after being found guilty of stamping on the face of Ireland World Cup hero Keith Gleeson.

The Canada flanker had been cited by Leinster following the Blues' 24-19 home defeat in Pool 3 of the Heineken Cup last month.

The Irish province claimed he deliberately stamped on fellow back-rower and man-of-the-match Gleeson at a ruck.

The Blues, who are bottom of their group, had rejected the allegation. Baugh has 72 hours to appeal.

"The panel found the action of Mr Baugh was at least careless with no regard for the consequences of his action," said the European Rugby Cup disciplinary committee's chairman Douglas Hunter.

"The citing was therefore upheld and the panel suspends Baugh for eight weeks up to and including Monday, 1 March, 2004."

It is a serious blow to the Blues' hopes of salvaging their Heineken Cup campaign during daunting back-to-back encounters with French club Biarritz, where they lost by a record 75-25 last season, after losing to Sale and Leinster.

And their quest to climb the Celtic League could also be damaged because Baugh will sit out four matches in that competition. If the Blues remain bottom of Wales' five representatives they will miss out on a place in next season's Heineken Cup.

Blues coach David Young had maintained Baugh was rucking the ball legitimately.

Perpignan lock Christophe Porcu was banned for five weeks after being found guilty of punching Celtic Warriors' Wales prop Gethin Jenkins and Christian Loader.

He was cleared of another charge of assaulting Jenkins during a Pool 6 encounter last month and, like Baugh, has 72 hours to lodge an appeal.

"These two offences were cynical, unacceptable and unprovoked off-the-ball incidents which could have caused serious injury," said Hunter.

Warriors coach Lynn Howells said, "We are a little bit disappointed he only got five weeks.

He knocked a player out with a punch.

"I'm surprised he was not found guilty of the other charge. He was the only player near Gethin. The panel must have thought Gethin fainted.

"I would like to see more consistency. Agen prop Jean-Jacques Crenca has four weeks for butting, Porcu gets five for punching and Dan Baugh gets eight for what David Young said was rucking."